Asterix and the Centurion
by SoaringGryphonProductions
Summary: One of Caesar's best young officers has been sent to the Fortified Camp of Aquarium to train the relief troops, but there seems to be another motive behind this order as it was given to the officer by Brutus. How will this new officer learn to cope with the indomitable Gauls? What is Brutus's actual motive. Read review and find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Asterix and the Centurion**

**Chapter 1- 'Lioness Queen'**

It is said a war can be won with the swing of a sword. It is also said that women are not allowed to serve in the Roman Army, until now. This is the story of one Roman soldier and the legion under her command whose name became synonymous with the military might and discipline of the Roman Empire.

Her name is Lea Regina and she has risen to become one of Julius Caesar's best officers and commanders. Throughout her life, Regina was considered undesirable because of her looks. She had short white hair with a long tail which was considered to be a bad omen or a curse from the Gods.

As a child, she was alone until Caius Fatuous picked her up off the streets of Rome and raised her as his own until she matured into a woman. She voluntarily asked Caius to train her as a gladiatrix. Trained as a Dimachaeri type, she earned great prestige on the sands of the Coliseum and even impressed Caesar.

The emperor was so impressed by her skill with the sword that he asked her to serve in his legions. She would also be given her freedom and the rudius. She accepted his offer and enlisted in the legion. Throughout her first years of service, she was often mocked for being a woman but she persevered.

Through many battles and sieges, she rose up through the ranks and won the respect of all the soldiers she commanded. She never abandoned her troops in the heat of battle and trained them to fight to the death. While on a successful campaign in Iberia, Centurion Regina was once again in the thick of action.

She was at the front of the assault with sword and shield. Her weapons and armor meant as much to her as her own beating heart. She dodged an enemy's sword easily and hammered him on the top of his helmet with the pommel of her gladius, "Push forward!" She bellowed to the valiant troops behind her.

Centurion Lea was strict about who she chose to serve under her. She chose the youngest of legionaries, those that barely serve one term of service in hopes that in her words, "_A young body can be easily molded and formed into soldiers that will be the standard for the legion_," She once stated,

Under this philosophy, Centurion Lea Regina had created a legion that could outdrill and outperform any legion in the whole of the Roman Empire. Lea Regina is also the youngest officer in the entire Roman Legion at 25 years of age. But the young centurion was about to receive from news from Gaul.

It was Brutus, Son of the Emperor, entering her camp located in the southern region of Iberia, "Ave Brutus," She said saluting the son of Caesar though she was not too pleased to see him. She sat down and crossed her legs, "so…what brings you to my camp, O Brutus?" She asked looking at him in the eye.

Brutus was a regal and strongly chinned man with muscles to go with it. Lea Regina is a well-built woman, a fine mix of buxomness and muscle forged in the whip and sands of arena combat. Lea has sapphire blue eyes and tanned skin as a reminder of the years of service out in heat of the Iberian sun.

Her armor was custom-made in the armories. Her helmet had intricate brass engravings of a laurel wreath on the sides. On the front of her iron helmet is a brass engraving of a pouncing lioness. Her iron muscle cuirass had an emphasized female-chest which was tailored to her somewhat large bust size and scale armor shoulder guards.

She wears a standard tunic in a shade of white with blue lining on the edges of her sleeves. Her flowing blue cape gave her a majestic and regal appearance. She also wears whites pants instead of the standard legionary red pants. She wears a cingulum and four leather straps in front and behind her. Her gladius is made in the Mainz style.

She had pale pink lips and is considered as deadly with a sword as she was beautiful. Brutus looked at her with a sinister smile, "You have been given orders, Lea Regina, I will be assuming command of your troops from this point onward," Regina didn't like this at all, "and you…are being transferred to the fortified camp of Aquarium in Gaul,"

"I will not leave my men behind…not to the likes of you, Brutus," Regina hissed tossing aside her goblet of wine, "a serpent has more morals than you," Brutus smiled and lightly chuckled; everything seemed to be going his way. With Centurion Lea out of the way, He now had command of one of the best legions in the Roman Army.

"These orders came from the Emperor himself…you don't have a choice," He informed her, sipping at his goblet of wine, "_Rome has no need of a perfect centurion_…_now with you out of the way, Lea Regina, I can put my plan into action_," He thought to himself, smiling a convincing smile which hid his true intentions,

Regina slanted her eyes angrily and stormed out of her tent. The news spread throughput the camp from a stationed archer. She mounted up on a black stallion with a leopard skin riding blanket. She put on her helmet which featured a fluffy blue crest running from front to back, "Redibo ('I shall return!')!" She cried,

They were all disappointed to see her go, but orders are absolute in the army. She did promise to her troops that she would return, "_This is getting me down, why would Caesar put this idiot in charge of my men? I sense there's a weasel in the thicket and it's wearing a red cape_," she thought to herself,

"_Gaul…and Armorica of all the areas, I know of Aquarium, it is one of the camps surrounding a village of Gauls said to be invincible_," She thought, whipping the reins to make horse gallop faster, "_I heard from the camps that the troops there are new and lack discipline, seems I have a lot of work to do_,"

As she left the camp in the night, she arrived at the fortified camp of Aquarium a week later. There were fresh troops in the camp. All of them had not finished even their first years in the army. Regina is a very beautiful woman. It was hard for some them to believe that is one of Rome's best commanders.

"By Jupiter…Is…Is this a joke?" one of the legionaries asked, Regina looked down at the young legionary from atop her horse. She dismounted from her steed and surveyed the camp. The camp was a complete and utter mess. Some of the soldiers knew of this particular centurion and urged him to keep quiet.

"No…now if you please…AD SIGNA!" She growled lightly in her voice, "MANDATA CAPTATE!" She bellowed and the legionaries followed as she unlatched the cheek guards and took off her helmet, "As of now, I am your commanding officer, you are still young men and you all have much to learn,"

"I want this camp clean and presentable, tomorrow…the real training begins, Dimitto!" Regina ordered with the utmost seriousness. Her men were so young that their cheek protectors fastened comfortably around their faces. She settled down and helped out the men with chores as she was a part of the camp.

That morning at dawn, the trumpets sounded and all 50 legionaries were lined up in two rows of 25. Lea came out of her tent in full-bronze armor, "You will assemble swiftly and in full gear every morning at first light," She ordered, taking off her armor, "anyone who has a problem with it…will answer to me,"

"Oh...fiery," commented one legionary sarcastically. His name was Caius Falcus. He was a young man whom just reached the age of 24. The Centurion overheard his comment and picked up a pilum. The troops moved back as she pointed it to Falcus and then threw to top of the camp's highest post.

"How gallant of you to volunteer, Falcus…," She said happily, but then her happiness quickly turned to drill sergeant seriousness, "now retrieve that pilum," She ordered. Her scale-armored Decurion in the camp was a man her age named Quintus Terminus whom just earned his crest holder on his helmet.

"I'll get that pilum, you little minx," he grumbled under his breath, walking up to the tall wooden post in the middle of the fortified camp, "and I'll do it in my lorica segmentata," but before Caius could make an attempt to climb up the 10m high post to retrieve the javelin. Regina had something else to add on.

Quintus was holding a chest for the general, "Hold on, brave soldier, you seem to be missing something," She said with two 30 pound lead weights encased in bronze. She tied them to Caius's wrists, "This…represents discipline," She explained to her troops holding up his wrist and dropping it.

The legionary's wrist fell to the dusty ground with the weight. Centurion Regina then lifted the second weight, "and this…represents strength, you need both to reach the pilum," Caius Falcus looked up at the spear and began climbing up the post like a squirrel, but he kept sliding down thanks to the weights.

But Caius could not maintain his balance and fell backwards on his head. Legionary after legionary tried and failed to reach the spear at the top of the post in a parade of failing attempts, "I think this is rather amusing don't you, O Centurion?" Quintus Terminus whispered to her as she stood and watched them.

"There is nothing amusing about failure, Quintus," She informed him giving a glare in response to his smile, "by Minerva…we have a long way to go if we are to send these men to battle," She looked at her tired troops and picked up an armful of spears. She threw them to her men and they each caught one.

"_But these are very able men, I know I can prepare them for battle_," She thought training her men in spear fighting techniques, the same techniques she was taught when she was a gladiatrix. Now she seeked to employ that discipline into the legion and has picked her first victim out of the ranks.

"_Quintus Terminus has informed me that these men are ready to face the Gauls…I'll be the judge of that_," She circling around her troops and fixing any improvements with her vitis, an officer's baton made of palm wood, "That's a fine thrust there, soldier," She informed a young soldier, turning an eye to him.

This soldier was named Marcus Quercus and he looked to be a man more suitable for being a messenger for a senior officer than a legionary. She stepped in front of the tip of his spear, "Now then…stab me," She commanded to the shock of the young legionary, "why do you hesitate? That's an order…STAB ME!"

Marcus made an attempt to stab Centurion Lea, but she just tapped the spear aside with her hand, "I said stab me not tickle me, are you giving that much content toward me as you would your enemy, face me like you're facing an enemy! STAB ME!" She roared with a fire that would make the god Mars proud,

Marcus Quercus attacked her with all his might, but Regina moved the side and grabbed the spear by the wood of the shaft. She flipped the man over her back and slammed him down to the ground, "There's no shame in it, son, get up and try again," She said on top of him with the tip of the spear mere millimeters from his throat,

She gave him a hand up and walked away. As she walked away, she turned an eye to her Decurion, "They are not ready," She grumbled and walked away, after somewhat successful javelin drills, the centurion called it a day, "alright good work today, men, I expect you lot to be up bright and early,"

Early that morning, one legionary woke up and tried again at a shot at reaching the spear. He climbed up the post, but the weights knocked him down to the ground. He then mustered up his courage and wrapped the weights around the post and began the climb to the pilum at the top of the post.

The soldiers whom were exiting their tents that morning looked up in wonder and saw the young legionary climbing up the post. He was sweating and pulling as hard as he can. He slipped once on the post to the shock of the on looking legionaries, but he persevered and pulled himself up by first light.

That morning, Regina was woken up by her Decurion, "Ave, O Centurion, its morning," Quintus said to the centurion as she just woke up and was putting on her armor. As she slipped on her caligae and adjusted her belt, she exited her tent and got a surprise as the spear was stuck into the ground.

Caius Falcus was sitting at the top of the post while the soldiers at the bottom cheered for him. The centurion looked up and smiled at him. She undid the cheek protectors and took off her helmet. She held it by the cheek piece and raised it to the sky to congratulate the young soldier on his success.

There was a large boost of morale from her men and in improvement in the training. She marched with them carrying 40lbs sacks of rocks on their backs. Pilum drill was much improved as well. She, like everyone else, was a part of the legion and she had to pull her weight around like everyone else.

The trumpet signaled the end of the day as the spear was now stuck in the ground. All the sounds of the day's training began to also cause a stir in the Gaulish Village. For some, the news of fresh troops was a cause to celebrate, but the Gauls were in for a big surprise when they see who is in command.


	2. Chapter 2

**Asterix and the Centurion**

**Chapter 2- Into Battle**

In the span of a week, the centurion transformed the relief troops from boys into fighting men. Proud and emboldened by their success with their strict training, she and her troops rested well that night.

The next morning, Brutus's second-in-command showed up at the gates of the camp. The sentry left his post at the gate to inform Lea Regina, "There's a man who wishes to speak with you, O Centurion,"

"Thank you, Gracchus Metatarsus, I will go and see to him," Regina said fixing on her iron greaves and putting on her crested helmet. Her blue cape flew in the wind behind her as she went out to meet him.

She had her hand grasping the grip of her gladius at her side. Her long white ponytail flew around and whipped like the tail of a snake. The legionary Metatarsus exited Lea's tent and went back to his post.

"What can I do for you on this fine morning, O Centurion?" She asked the officer as he got off his horse. He was a skinny man with a small beard and sharp brown eyes. Like Brutus, he had a red crested helmet.

"Greetings, I am Claudius Devious," He greeted her with a small frown as he looked around at her legionaries going about their daily chores, "Brutus sent me to check on you and your men," he stated,

"You really think your men are ready to fight, HUH! They would last a minute against those Crazy Gauls," Claudius boasted shunning her legionaries. Her soldiers were not too pleased by the centurion's words.

"They completed their special training," Regina fought back, Claudius Devious turned a bad eye toward the female centurion. Even if it was Brutus's right-hand man, her loyal soldiers had their guard up.

"Those 'boys' you call legionaries are no fit for battle than you are to being their commanding officer, once Julius Caesar reads this report, you and your legionaries will never see battle," he stated boldly,

Regina unsheathed her gladius from her side and pointed at Devious's neck, "Be careful of your actions, Centurion Regina, you may be one of the Emperor's best soldiers, but I am in the service of Brutus,"

The female centurion put her sword back in her scabbard and signaled her men to stand back, "Now then I bid you a fond farewell, O Centurion Regina," He said with a sinister smile as he left her tent,

"Oh, by the way," He said preparing to leave the camp with some final words, "semel servus, semper servus," He got on his horse and left as Lea's legionaries went up to defend their commanding officer.

Quintus Terminus could see in her eyes that Lea was angered, but she stood tall none the less, "It doesn't matter what you are, you are our Centurion and we will fight by your side to the last man,"

"Thank you, Quintus Terminus," She said with a thankful smile and put a hand on his shoulder. When Claudius Devious was a fair distance away from her camp, she gave the order, "prepare for battle!"

Asterix was watching all of this unfold from the branches of a nearby tree. He rushed back to the village and informed Chief Vitalstatistix, "By Toutatis, something doesn't feel right over at the fortified camps,"

"Let the Romans settle their own disputes, Asterix, we shouldn't let ourselves be bothered with their problems," Vitalstatistix replied sitting on his throne, "even if they are fresh relief troops from Rome,"

"ROMANS?! LEAVE THEM TO ME! LEAVE THEM TO ME!" Obelix burst out gleefully, but Asterix sensed that there was something rather different about these new Romans since they arrived a week ago.

Asterix stopped him before Obelix could say anymore, "Be careful, Obelix, something tells me these Romans aren't like the ones we are used to fighting, even if we have the magic potion on our side,"

"Asterix is right," said Getafix the Village Druid, "we must not underestimate these Romans given the ruckus we've been hearing from Aquarium," with that in mind, the village men prepared for battle.

"Bah, all Romans are the same, what could so different about these Romans anyway?" Obelix asked Asterix as the indomitable Gauls from the village were on the march to the Fortified Camp of Aquarium

Back in the camp, Regina's troops were frightened by the thought of having to face the Gauls given all the terrifying things the previous relief troops said to them before they left beaten and bruised.

The legionaries could see the Gauls coming out the village and were retreating back in fear, "Hold your ground!...Hold your ground!" Regina commanded in her armor with her flowing blue cape behind her.

"Please, men! I am a soldier one of you, I share your blood and I share your fear, in these times, the enemy looks at you as frightened sheep, this is what we spent all those days training for!" She preached,

Her legionaries began to pick back up their shields and spears, "We must stand and fight, for you are wolves, you are armed to the teeth with sharpened fangs made of steel!" She stated boldly to her men,

With those words, her troops began to awaken their warrior spirits and their will to fight, "Stand your ground!" She roared, the Decurion struck his gladius against his Parma shield, "Stand your ground!"

Legionary Caius Falcus followed Quintus's example and struck his pilum against his shield. This was followed by all the troops in a single thunderous roar, "This is our time to prove that we are soldiers!"

The sounds of crashing spears and swords against shields could be heard from the other fortified camps, "Stay in formation!" Quintus ordered the men and beating the edge of his sword against his shield.

"Just because the enemy uses a magic potion for strength, it doesn't mean they are braver or stronger than we are," Lea could hear a few cries from her men, crying for battle,"they're human like you and I,"

As the Gauls got closer, the crashing sound went from one single roar to three strikes of wood against steel. The legionaries roared their battle cries to her inspiring words, "Listen to me! Stand your ground!"

"Fight for honor! Fight for your brothers-in-arms! Fight for those bore you! Fight for your sons! Fight for your daughters! Fight for your good names!" She unsheathed her sword and raised the tip to the sky,

"I bid you stand, SOLDIERS OF ROME!" She yelled regally. Her legionaries raised their weapons and yelled a loud war cry as they got into battle formation, "now let's show these Gauls what we can do!"

"Infantry form up for advance!" Quintus ordered as he put on his helmet and fastened his cheek protectors. The men got into two ranks of 25 and marched out of camp to the plains outside the village.

With spears standing and shields forward and at the ready, the army of 50 soldiers exited the camp in a full charge with Regina leading the way. Her legionaries were a sight to see in their organized ranks.

As soon as the Gauls were in sight, she signaled her men to halt. She looked at her men with a small smile and unsheathed her sword. The shining steel of her blade gleamed bright in the hot midday sun.

She looked at her enemy pointing the tip of her sword at them and gave the order, "ATTACK!" She roared and charged forward at the Gauls. Her men followed her in full attack in a 'Delta' formation.

It was strange to the Gauls that these Romans didn't show any fear in their faces, but the most striking thing of all was their commanding officer, "That centurion it's…it's a WOMAN!" Asterix gasped in shock,

Lea Regina roared a loud and long battlecry as she and her soldiers crashed into the Gauls. But oddly enough, the Roman troops didn't go flying in all directions. Instead, they stood their ground like men.

"I'll handle this…," Obelix growled and attacked the centurion, but Lea bested him with a knee to the chin and put him on his back. Neither she nor her men used any potion or magic, just pure fighting spirit.

"Well, I never…well, I never…," Obelix said in a daze as Lea jumped over him. Her ferocity in battle was well deserving of the meaning of her name. With her gladius and shield, she attacked chief Vitalstatistix.

The chief was late to unsheathe his sword from his side, but managed to parry Lea's attack but was knocked off his shield in the process, "Front line…PUSH!" She ordered and her legionaries followed,

Neither army was gaining nor losing ground. The battle had turned into a stalemate. The Romans under Centurion Lea's command pushed forward with all their might, but the Indomitable Gauls pushed back.

The Gauls were not giving up easily, Fulliautomatix tried his luck against the most skilled swordsman (make that swordswoman) in the entire Roman Army. He raised his hammer ready to crush her skull.

Her blue cape flew over him like a giant wing with her sword concealed under it. She made a slash at his midsection, and his breeches fell down. Lea tittered as this forced him to retire away from the battle.

"What…what a warrior," Asterix said admiration as he punched a legionary's shield with his superhuman strength, but the Roman soldier still held his ground despite having a black eye and a bruised nose.

Although they were beaten and bruised, Regina's legionaries still held off the Gaulish assault seeing that most of her men had broken spears. It all boiled down to a fight between the Lea and the Gaulish Chief.

Centurion Lea Regina and her legionaries were shown to be impressive soldiers. Her skill with a sword and warrior's heart brought back memories of when Vitalstatistix was fighting Caesar at Gergovia.

Lea Regina's legionaries and the village men gathered in a circle as the old veteran warrior and the female centurion faced off in a duel. She had a sharp gaze in her eyes that was as sharp as her blade.

"That's quite enough!" Asterix said interrupting the two before their blades could cross. Asterix turned to the centurion in command of the Romans, "who are you, Roman?" He asked straight-forwardly,

"Lea Regina, Daughter of Caius Fatuous," She replied, her long white hair flailed about with her every turn of the head,"now if can be most gracious, kindly allow us to leave the field with our wounded,"

"Granted," Vitalstatistix replied, sparring the centurion's men from any further thrashing. Oddly enough, not a single one of their shields were bent nor damaged though her men were beaten and bruised.

"Move out!" She commanded and her legionaries followed her back to camp. Back in Iberia, it was a different tale; Lea Regina's former legionaries knew of Brutus's plan-of-action and were against him.

An archer in the barracks sent a messenger pigeon with a note tied to her leg, "By Mercury, I sure hope this works," one of her legionaries whispered as the little bird flew away under the cover of darkness.

The next day, Lea's men were still recovering from their wounds, but the little pigeon made the journey from Iberia to Gaul as it flew into guard tower. Legionary Gracchus Metatarsus caught the bird in flight.

"O Centurion!" He yelled getting down from his post and entering her tent while interrupting Lea's meal with Decurion Quintus Terminus, "O Centurion, I bring news from the Iberian Front!" he panted heavily,

"Calm yourself, Soldier," She said putting a hand on his shoulder, "what? Brutus is planning to use my own troops to march on Rome and take Caesar's place as Emperor by force? This is an outrage!"

"That's not all," Quintus said further reading the letter, "since Claudius Devious knows you were once a slave, Brutus plans to put the blame on you for inciting rebellion and have you thrown to the lions,"

"Brutus is not a moral man," Lea said putting a fist in her hand, "if he comes to power in Rome, he would stop at nothing to see to it that the Gaulish Village is destroyed, I feel we must warn their chief,"

Lea put back on her helmet, "Terminus, see to it that the men are ready to move out at once, I'm going to have a word with the Chief," She said mounting her black stallion and rode to the Gaulish Village,


	3. Chapter 3

**Asterix and the Centurion**

**Chapter 3- On the March**

In Iberia, Claudius Devious returned to camp, "Ave O Brutus, that minx Lea Regina won't be a bother to us anymore, all roads are clear to Rome," Centurion Claudius said proudly and sinisterly to Brutus,

"Excellent," Brutus replied, "but there's still a problem, Regina's troops refuse to march under my command, they disbanded and left late last night, no matter, we still have 12,000 to march…on Rome,"

"My spies have informed me that those rogue legionaries are heading to Armorica, the numbers say around 250 legionaries with 1,000 cavalry and 100 archers, what do you suggest, O Brutus?"

"It does not matter, we still have the advantage in numbers, those rogues know if they are spotted they face…decimation," Brutus explain clinching a fist at his side, "what I want is…Lea Regina,"

On threat of decimation if any of them were caught by Brutus's soldiers, Lea Regina's 250 former legionaries plus 100 archers and 1,000 cavalry marched northeast toward Armorica to their commanding officer,

Meanwhile, Lea Regina rode off to the Gaulish Village on her black stallion. She was met by the village guard with a winged helmet and armed with a spear and shield, "What do you want, Roman?" He snarled,

Lea's stallion reared up its front legs and whinnied, "Whoa…easy boy, easy…," She said, calming him down by patting him lightly on the shoulder, "I wish to speak with your chief, my business is my own,"

The guard left his post and went to inform the chief of the visitor at the gates of the village. Chief Vitalstatistix came out to meet to meet the officer atop his shield being carried by his two shield-bearers.

Lea showed no fear in the face of the warrior. Her eyes were calm as she dismounted her horse and took off her helmet, "O Chief, I come to you at a time of great urgency and I seek your counsel,"

She came into the village leading her black stallion. Everyone in the village was glaring at her with neglect. It was bad enough that a Roman was being allowed to enter the village without getting thumped.

In the village chief's hut, Asterix, Obelix and Getafix were also summoned by the chief just in case, "Now then…what business do you have with me, Roman?" He asked wanting to get straight to the point,

Little Dogmatix was growling at Lea while being held in Obelix's arms, "This message came from my former legions in Iberia, I feel you should give it a read," She explained handing him the message,

"So…Caesar's son seeks to overthrow Caesar by force? But I don't see how this would affect my village," Vitalstatistix replied, Lea Regina sighed. She knew she might be asking too much from the chief,

"Brutus is not a man to be trusted," Lea stated, placing a hand on the pommel of her gladius, "if he comes to power, he's going to put all this on me for inciting rebellion and I will be thrown to the lions,"

"I speak of that incident with Caesar's child, what happened to your village was just a sample of his wrath," Lea explained clinching a fist, "he will use his power to make war on all the conquered lands,"

"But these are the Roman issues, Lea Regina, we should stick our nose into your people's business," Vitalstatistix explained to the young officer, "we will not march alongside you, Roman, that is final,"

"If you won't fight for us, fight for your lands, time and time again, your brave warriors have fought off Caesar's Legions," Lea praised, "to that I ask, would fight for a wolf, or a snake?" She added,

"Lea has a point," Getafix said, putting his finger up to give himself permission to speak, "at least you can escape from the jaws of a wolf…a serpent will squeeze the life out of its prey until there is nothing left,"

"If Brutus claims the title of emperor he will stop at nothing to see to it that your village is destroyed and none of you will be spared," Lea warned, "forgive me, O Chief, I believe I am wasting my breath,"

Lea Regina was about to exit the village. She untied her horse from the post, but she got a surprise in the form of the village's best warrior, "Wait!" said Asterix running out of the hut to stop her from leaving,

"If we help you defend Rome from Brutus, what do we get in return for our services?" Asterix asked the female centurion. Lea lightly smiled at the Gaulish warrior, but she had brilliant idea in her head,

"If you help us, I will open trade between your village and the men in my camp, I'll see to it that my men treat you fairly as equals," Lea Regina said getting back on her horse, "do we have terms?" She asked,

"It's a deal!" Asterix said brightly shaking her hand. Lea Regina galloped back with all haste to Aquarium where her men were waiting. Decurion Quintus Terminus received news from Lea's Iberian legionaries.

Back in Iberia near the border with Gaul, Brutus and Centurion Claudius Devious were on the march, "O Brutus, my spy in Gaul has informed me that Lea Regina has made allies with a little Gaulish village," He explained

"Heh, heh, heh, so she's adding treason to her list of crimes?" Brutus joked mounted on his white stallion riding alongside Claudius Devious, "maybe throwing her to the lions is too light a punishment,"

Meanwhile in Gaul, "O Centurion, I have received word that your legions are heading to Aquarium to offer assistance in battle," Quintus Terminus said saluting his superior officer, "what do you suggest, O centurion?"

"Brutus is smart," Lea explained, "he's most likely going to take Rome by sea, it will take him a week to get his men prepared, my Iberian troops will have the more difficult route through the mountains,"

"Permission to speak?" Quintus asked, Lea nodded lightly giving him the go-ahead, "why don't we make a rendezvous point here in Helvetia? Brutus may have the easier route but we have the shorter one,"

"I like the way you think, Quintus Terminus," Lea complimented, typing a message to the ankle of a peregrine falcon and sending off in to the air, "by Mercury, I hope that message get to them in time,"

"By Saturn, we are in a race after all," Quintus explained putting on his helmet and fastening the cheek protectors, "if we use out time wisely, we will beat them to the walls of two days ahead of them,"

"We mustn't be late then," Regina said exiting her tent putting on her helmet with Quintus Terminus behind her, "MOVE OUT!" she ordered and the Romans of Aquarium were on the march to defend Rome.

Back in the little Gaulish Village, "Lea Regina's troops are on the move O Chief," Asterix informed the Chief. The men of the village were out of the gates to march alongside their newly formed allies from Rome.

"Then we must move it too," Chief Vitalstatistix said as the village women made their farewells and good-byes to the men. It was going to be a long trip for both the men of the village and the Romans.

To most in the empire, this was considered unheard of, but the future of both cities hanged in the balance. To some along the way, the army looked like slaves were being marched to be sold in Rome.

Asterix and Obelix walked alongside Lea Regina and Quintus Terminus. Vitalstatistix was at the head of the Gauls with Getafix was idling along in an ox cart, "So tell me about yourself, Lea," Asterix requested.

"There isn't much to say, Asterix," Lea said looking down at him and back up at the road ahead, "before I was enlisted, I was trained as a Gladiatrix, since I was a child I was forged in the sands of the arena,"

"I voluntarily asked my adopted father to have me trained, my skills were so great that I became Rome's only undefeated champion, thus Caesar asked me to use my skills in a different arena, and I enlisted,"

"It must have been hard for you, seeing that you are a woman and all," Asterix said intrigued by Lea's story. It is true; Lea had to go through a lot of hardships as she was Rome's only female soldier,

"Everyone, both man and woman, can hold their own in a fight, Asterix, you would know Asterix, your countrymen have been Caesar a headache for some time now," Asterix chuckled at Lea's comment,

"These Romans are crazy," Obelix commented tapping the side of his helmet, and Obelix was right. In the span of one day, the Romans with their Gaulish allies marched one hundred miles in a single day.

Lea knew her men and the Gauls were tired and hungry, especially Obelix, "Halt, we shall rest here tonight," She commanded, Obelix went on the hunt for wild boar while the others rested for the night,

The army covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. The combined army was now near the border of Germania and Gaul, but there were many challenges ahead. One was the looming peaks of the Alps.

Her men were living up to the reputation of any soldier that happened to serve under Lea Regina in the army. She trained so they would be able to outdrill and outperform any legion in the entire Roman army.

"Here, have some boar, Lea, you need your strength," Obelix said, offering Lea a leg of boar out of kindness. Lea accepted his offer and nodded a light nod, "I am terribly sorry for attacking you yesterday,"

"There is no need to apologize, Obelix," Lea replied sharpening her formidable sword with a whetstone, "I am an experienced soldier, I am used to fighting men your size on the battlefield and in the arena,"

Chief Vitalstatistix and Asterix gather with Centurion Regina and Decurion Terminus to discuss their plan-of-action, "Hmm…there are still the mountains to pass through, this presents a problem,"

"I suggest we stay on the trail, Lea," said Asterix, "we need our men to conserve their strength for the fight, which goes for both your legionaries and our men," Lea Regina scratched her chin in thought,

"I must stand by Asterix on this one, O Centurion," said Quintus Terminus, "if we keep following the trail, we can meet up with the Iberian Legionaries in Helvetia and make it to Rome in three days…maybe four,"

"That should give us enough time to build up our defenses, with that in mind, I feel we can all rest well…we leave at dawn," Lea said adjourning the meeting. The next morning, the men were on the march.

By the afternoon of the second day, the army of Romans and Gauls made it to the border of Helvetia where her Iberian Legionaries were waiting at their camp, "As I have said, I am one of my word,"

Her Iberian legionaries looked different from those who served in Gaul. Her Iberian legionaries wore brass armor and helmets. They also wore white pants and blue tunics instead of green tunics and red pants.

Her loyalist cavalry wore scale armor like Quintus Terminus and carried Praetorian cavalry shields. They used a lance called a 'Contus' and a cavalry sword at their sides called a 'Spatha'. These were skilled horsemen.

Her legionaries from Iberia were all happy to be reunited with their officer. Even though Brutus vastly outnumbered Lea Regina's troops and Chief Vitalstatistix's warriors, the men remained confident.

Lea was happy to see her regulars from Iberia with archers and cavalry. Even with these additions, the Gauls and Romans were still outnumbered, but the Gauls were about to get a surprise of their own.

"So," said a voice interrupting the merriment, "we meet again, Armoricans," said a well-rounded man with blond hair and a matching mustache wearing light purple trousers and a majestic winged helmet.


End file.
